engyn

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Middle English

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Anglo-Norman engine ?, from Old French engin m.

Noun

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engyn

  1. engine, device
    • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Squire's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 183-184:
      Ther may no man out of the place it dryve
      For noon engyn of windas or polyve;
      [...]
      No man there can drive it out of the place
      Despite any contrivance of windlass or pulley; [...]
  2. skill, ingenuity; wit
    • Treatise on the Astrolabe
      But consider wel that I ne usurpe not to have founden this werk of my labour or of myn engyn.
    • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Second Nun's Tale, The Canterbury Tales, line 338-339:
      Right as a man hath sapiences three,
      Memorie, engyn, and intellect also,
      [...]
      Exactly as a man has three mental faculties,
      Memory, imagination, and judgement also, [...]

Descendants

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References

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